Poses for Breast Cancer Survivors

Jaki Nett’s reply:
A lumpectomy is the removal of a lesion from the breast, preserving the essential anatomy of the breast. In a lumpectomy the incision is made directly over the tumor. After the tumor has been removed, usually the skin is the only incision that is stitched. This provides a better cosmetic result than trying to stitch the breast fat and subcutaneous tissue.

For optimal cosmetic results, dissection of the axillary nodes is performed through a separate incision in the armpit. During the process connective tissue is dissected and many muscles, nerves, and veins of the upper torso are affected. Some of the major muscles that may be affected are the pectoralis major and minor, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, and subscapularis.

When restarting your yoga practice, start with poses that free up the shoulder area. Bring as much balanced freedom of movement to the shoulder blade, collarbone, and humerus (the head of the arm bone) as possible. Learn to move the shoulder girdle through its full range of movement, which involves:

Elevation—To do this shrug the shoulders upward, toward the ears.

Depression—Lower the shoulders downward, away from the ears.

Protraction (also called abduction) —Reach forward as though you’re about to grab something. The shoulder blades will move away from the spine.

Most importantly, be very gentle. This is a different body now. Give it time to heal. Start on the path of recovery with slow, aware steps.

Jaki Nett is a certified Iyengar Yoga instructor in St. Helena, California, and a faculty member of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. She teaches public classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and leads workshops in the United States and Europe, including specialty workshops on female issues.